NEW BERN - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court
on April 9, 2009, Chief United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan, sentenced RUBEN
BORJA, 26, of Warsaw, North Carolina, to 168 months’ imprisonment followed by five years
supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on
September 22, 2005. On December 3, 2008, BORJA pled guiltyto
conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute
more than five kilograms of cocaine. The investigation determined
that a group of Mexican nationals in the Duplin and Sampson county
areas were trafficking in cocaine, cocaine base (crack) marijuana
and methamphetamine from July 2003 to November 2005. The
organization consisted of two distribution cells. Victor Roman, a
co-defendant, initially established the organization and was
assisted by Jose Chavez and another individual. Chavez fell out of
favor with one of the Texas drug sources. That source began
dealing with Clemente Baltazar, an employee of Chavez’ who opened
hidden vehicle compartments containing drugs. This created the
second cell and Baltazar at the helm. BORJA, a cousin of Baltazar,
worked as a local drug trafficker, from January 2004 until his
arrest in October, 2005. However, BORJA, at times, also worked for
the other cell receiving cocaine and methamphetamine. It has been
determined that BORJA distributed 1,800 kilograms of cocaine and
27.7 grams of methamphetamine. BORJA had been a fugitive from
shortly after his initial arrest in October, 2005 until October 3,
2008, when local authorities arrested him.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office and
the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ethan
Ontjes served as prosecutor for the government